Lee Sa-young's body curled further into his arms. His ears visible through the black hair were red and the skin he touched was burning. Cha Eui-jae was about to laugh, but he was just able to contain it.
Then thick arms that encircled his waist and back pulled Cha Eui-jae onto his lap. Awkwardly, Cha Eui-jae climbed onto Lee-sayoung's lap, who was seated on the chair. Lee Sa-young muttered curtly.
"You act as if removing your mask is an ultimate skill…"
"Yup."
"In times like this… it's not you who should take it off."
His collarbone and the back of his neck trembled each time Lee Sa-young spoke. He felt strangely out of breath. The hand that was around his waist patted his side, as if urging him—
"I should be the one."
"…"
"If you're truly sorry… then I should be allowed that much."
I feel like I'm digging my own grave. Before he could respond, a gentle hand brushed the chin of Cha Eui-jae's mask. Click. The lower part of the mask was lifted, revealing his chin and lips. Lee Sa-young touched the exposed chin with his lips.
"Lower your head a little."
Despite his hesitation, Cha Eui-jae dropped his head a little. There was a low chuckle. His neck and chin were tickled by his lips. The mask hit the floor with a thump. Cha Eui-jae opened his eyes gradually. The narrow, curved eyes were looking at him, as if praising him.
"…"
The hand caressing his face caught his nape and pulled. Without resistance, Cha Eui-jae dropped his head farther. His parted lips were met by soft lips. His face was showered with light kisses. Cute. Cha Eui-jae burst out giggling without realizing it. Lee Sa-young rubbed his cheek with his lips and whispered.
"How long could you stay?"
"I don't know, just as long as student Ga-eul could maintain… hey, don't touch my lower back. It tickles."
"Are you going to come back?"
"I'll keep coming until we go out together… no, wait a minute. Why don't we just go out now instead of bickering like this—?!"
Lee Sa-young's lips brushed his when he yelled, as though to tell him to keep quiet. When Cha Eui-jae attempted to pull his head back and shout once more, a big hand seized his neck and a thick tongue plunged into his open mouth. Hey! His small cry was buried in his mouth. His strength faded when his palate was stroked by the snake-like tongue. Something tickled all over him, starting in his mouth to his entire body.
…Damn it, it feels good.
A sticky sound sounded as their tongues entangled. With a quiet gasp, Cha Eui-jae bowed his head. His weakened upper body was supported by Lee Sa-young's powerful arms and body. His fingers stroked his straight spine from behind as he grasped his shoulders. He squirmed under the touch, and Lee Sa-young massaged his tongue as if to soothe him. Cha Eui-jae made a tiny groan.
"Ugh…"
A small smile appeared on his parted lips. His tongue, which had been rubbing around his mouth, slipped out. As he caught his breath, Lee Sa-young kissed his jawline and muttered.
"Since I last saw you… you've become so sensitive, Hyung."
"Shut up."
Sure. His ears were tickled by an amused voice. The lips that had been lightly nipping the tip of his chin captured his lips once again. His parted lips were filled with hot breath.
"Are you feeling good?"
"…"
"You should feel good…"
"Why…"
Why are you asking so persistently? The other's lips followed Cha Eui-jae as he turned his head, settling on different areas of his face. Lee Sa-young kissed him on the lips and then nibbled the tip of his nose.
"That way, you would feel like coming back to me again."
"…"
"And… every time you feel this sensation."
A large hand reached under his shirt and touched his bare skin. What is this? Startled, Cha Eui-jae straightened his back. The hand caressed his sides and back in a soothing manner.
"You would think of me."
Cha Eui-jae slowly blinked. His blurred vision cleared up, and Lee Sa-young's face came into view.
"…"
Bloodshot skin, reddened eyes downcast as he kissed his chin and nape. Damped eyelashes. Swollen lips. As if he sensed his gaze, Lee Sa-young slightly opened his eyes. His heart raced when their eyes met. It wasn't a pleasant feeling. If he were to be specific… it was similar to the feeling he had right after killing a monster.
Satisfaction. And…
Excitement.
'…Shit.'
Lee Sa-young gave a silent blink. Cha Eui-jae closed his eyes tight.
'Ah, I don't know anymore.'
He put his hands on Lee Sa-young's cheeks. Then lowering his head, he kissed him. Lee Sa-young opened his plump lips in astonishment, and he inserted his tongue between them. Just like Lee Sa-young, he massaged the roof of his mouth and his tongue, feeling the body beneath him tremble. Cha Eui-jae opened his eyes slightly. With his eyes closed, Lee Sa-young was engrossed in the kiss. Every now and then, his beautiful eyelashes fluttered.
'This is pretty…'
Fun.
His closed eyelids began to open as he slowly withdrew his lips. Cha Eui-jae used the back of his palm to wipe his moist lips and opened his mouth.
"Lee Sa-young."
"…"
"You don't have to do this…"
Cha Eui-jae paused for a moment, then spoke slowly again.
"These days, you are the only thing on my mind."
"…"
"So don't be silly. Take your hands off my waist— where are your hands going?!"
Cha Eui-jae firmly grabbed the hand that had dug under his shirt and yanked it out. Lee Sa-young chuckled.
"I hope you felt good."
"Be quiet."
"Did you lose your strength in your back?"
"Stop talking!"
Lee Sa-young started laughing when Cha Eui-jae lost his temper.
"Ahaha…"
The long, drawn-out laughter gradually died down. A bright smile appeared on his flushed face.
"Really?"
"…"
"I didn't know I already succeeded…"
Lee Sa-young buried his face in his chest and hugged him tightly around the waist. Then he began rubbing his face. He was a very obnoxious man. Cha Eui-jae sighed lightly and rubbed his messy hair. But then, a sense of resentment abruptly surfaced. Lee Sa-young lifted his head as he stopped stroking his hair.
"And you should think about going out, are you really going to keep reaching out to me here?"
"Don't you already know this? I can't go out right now."
"…"
Cha Eui-jae kept his mouth shut. As if nothing had happened, Lee Sa-young continued speaking.
"If I stay here, the notebook will remain connected. The faster the cure is developed, the faster progress will be made, and fewer people will die from mutations."
Lee Sa-young shrugged.
"Isn't being here far more beneficial?"
"But…"
"This is not being sacrificial. This is—"
A black finger touched Cha Eui-jae's hair. The hair appeared especially white, perhaps because the finger was black. The corners of Lee Sa-young's lips lifted in a smile.
"To prevent the worst."
"You…"
Cha Eui-jae opened his mouth yet no words came. His heart sank. Did you notice? Did you already know? But how? Even I only noticed it just a while ago. As he rubbed his gray hair, Lee Sa-young asked.
"Did you know, Hyung? Your hair is getting whiter and whiter."
"…"
"Even if you dye it, it never lasts long, and it just keeps getting whiter. At first, I thought it was common sense that the dye wouldn't last long, since you're an S-grade."
"…"
"But staying in this world, watching countless people mutate… I realized that wasn't the case."
Violet eyes scanned Cha Eui-jae's face. There was worry in his voice.
"It seems like you've gotten whiter since I last saw you…"
Cha Eui-jae didn't answer. Because it was true. The whitening, the mutation, it was slowly eating away at his body. Lee Sa-young tangled his fingers in his hair and whispered.
"I won't ask what happened in the West Sea rift. I'm not even curious."
"…"
"Instead… just answer this."
Their eyes met. His purple eyes were piercing as he looked at Cha Eui-jae.
"How much do you have left?"
Cha Eui-jae kept his mouth shut. Lee Sa-young gently urged him.
"If you don't know, I'll change the question. How much do you think you have left?"
"…I don't know."
Cha Eui-jae's mouth hardly opened. At some point, he stopped looking in the mirror. He didn't want to see his hair losing color. He didn't feel like solving anything. He just desperately turned away and fled. Away from his mutating body. Away from the future that was to come.
Cha Eui-jae answered in a small voice.
"…I don't know. How much I have left."
"…Really?"
"Still, there's a decent amount left. It's not urgent."
Lee Sa-young tilted his head slightly. Cha Eui-jae avoided looking at him. I know. I don't have much time left. But he didn't want Lee Sa-young to notice the urgency. And—
Cha Eui-jae pushed Lee Sa-young's forehead with his finger.
"Don't worry about that and just think about getting out."
For something like that, he didn't want to leave Lee Sa-young by himself in this place. Just as Lee Sa-young opened his mouth to speak again, Cha Eui-jae lowered his head and planted a kiss on his lips. Lee Sa-young twisted his head, but Cha Eui-jae persistently chased his lips. Angrily, Lee Sa-young snapped.
"Hyung…!"
At that moment, he felt his toes lift. It seemed like the time had come. Cha Eui-jae covered Lee Sa-young's mouth with his hand.
"I'm going to look for the magic stone. And then I will come back here. Don't refuse to leave then."
"…"
"I'll be back."
Cha Eui-jae kissed Lee Sa-young's forehead. His vision blurred. He opened his eyes wide to take in Lee Sa-young's face one last time.
And.
He saw his eyes glaring at him fiercely.
"…"
He realized something went seriously wrong.